Types of Reports in Professional Communication

This section describes the popular report types listed
above and points to more detailed descriptions: it is a "nuts and bolts"
discussion. We also direct your attention to writing reports in Principles, which addresses writing reports more generally.

To comfortably grasp the selection of report types, you need to embrace report truth # 1:
Reports may be classified similarly and still function (and
even appear) very differently in two different situations.

This will make sense in an immediately accessible context: Imagine
that you want to ask a close relative (who gives you money freely) for money to support your business. Your approach would be very different than if you were to ask a venture capitalist for that same money. While you might write a proposal in each instance, these two proposals will not be similar in length, tone, support for the argument, financial statements, and so on.

When adjusting the report to your purpose,
you should consider who will read the report, why, in what detail, with what
prejudice, with what knowledge, and to make what decision.

Keeping your audience's needs in mind will help you decide

the level of formality (in structure and tone) of your report

the length of the report

what kinds of data to include (tables, figures, general
graphs, or pictures)

how much to explain

what positions to defend

the visual sophistication required

Preliminary Reports

Problem or Needs Analyses

A problem or needs-analysis report—a very preliminary
piece of writing—examines a particular issue that the client faces.
A problem or needs
analysis is particularly appropriate when the need or problem is complex
or ill defined. Perhaps the client is not convinced of the need for change,
or personnel in the client organization have different views about the issue
(which is often the case). A problem or needs analysis names
the problem that you think shouls be addressed and provides analysis
that supports your position. Such analyses are especially appropriate
to a problem-solving paradigm.

Professional communication includes a variety of reports
common to business and industry. Below we define many of them briefly and
then point to further discussions and models available elsewhere in Professional
Writing Online.

We have argued that you can identify reports by differences
in audience and purpose. Actually, there are even more factors to include.
Every discussion of report formats is complicated by the fact that reports
within the same classification may vary in

length

complexity of audience

formality

purposes and functions inside and/or outside the organization.

This section describes the popular report types listed
above and points to more detailed descriptions: it is a "nuts and bolts"
discussion. We also direct your attention to writing
reports in Principles: that section addresses writing reports more generally.

To comfortably grasp the selection of report types, you
need to embrace report truth # 1:

Reports may be classified similarly and still function (and
even appear) very differently in two different situations.

This will make sense in an immediately accessible context: Imagine
that you want to ask a close relative
(who gives you money freely) for money to support your business. Your approach would be very different than if you were to
ask a venture capitalist for that same money. While you might write
a proposal in each instance, these two proposals will not
be similar in length, tone, support for the argument, financial statements,
and so on.

When adjusting the report to your purpose,
you should consider

who will read the report, why, in what detail, with what
prejudice, with what knowledge, and to make what decision.

Keeping your audience's needs in mind will help you decide

the level of formality (in structure and tone) of your report

the length of the report

what kinds of data to include (tables, figures, general
graphs, or pictures)

how much to explain

what positions to defend

the visual sophistication required

Project Plans

Here's an old maxim about projects:

A project can be done

fast

cheap

well

But you only get two out of three.

A project plan may be part of a proposal, or it may be
a report of its own. The purpose of a project plan is to conceptualize,
organize, and plan a project, usually with two audiences
in mind:

The project participants themselves, for whom such a
report acts as a guide, will be contracted to complete tasks at specific times.

Supervisors or others in the organization, whom
the report seeks to persuade and inform,
allot support and resources for the project.

Principally, the project plan should define the shape and
scope of the project: what will be produced, for whom is it intended, what
is the scope of treatment. A good plan also anticipates possible problems or obstacles. A
plan is persuasive (in trying to secure the reader's approval), but it should
also be realistic and honest in its assessment about what can be done within a particular timeframe.

A project plan typically includes an overview (which, most
importantly, includes a statement of purpose); a description of the client and their needs; a list of deliverables
(documents or products to be created); a detailed schedule for a project
(often in Gantt- or PERT- chart form); a budget; a list of personnel, together with an assignment
of their duties and responsibilities to the project (and perhaps a discussion
of their qualifications); and a methodology or procedure to be followed (e.g.,
a research plan). The project plan needs to convince management that a
project is well organized and feasible and that the participants listed are all
necessary in order for the project to be successful.

Comparison Reports

A comparison report examines two or more options and performs
a "relative advantages" analysis to determine which option would
best serve the client. Use a comparative format when there are
several serious alternatives that should be considered.

Comparison reports are similar to recommendation reports and feasibility
reports in their approach (i.e., establishing criteria for a good
option and evaluating possible options), and sometimes the reports are identical
except in name. But in some technical communication situations, the comparison
report only includes analysis and does not recommend a course of action.
If it does not recommend an action, then the comparison report takes on
some of the functions of a white paper or backgrounder.

Feasibility Reports

A feasibility report may respond to a single question or recommend
a specific option. It may also apply several criteria to that option
and make a judgment as to whether it would be in the client's best interest
to implement the option. (Simple thumbs up or thumbs down.) Use a feasibility
format when the client has one favored alternative or plan of action and
is trying to determine the effects of that one course of action.

"Feasibility" in this context refers both to technical
feasibility in the limited sense (can this be done? will this action solve
the problem?), as well as to a wider sense of feasibility that focuses on
the desirability of a certain course of action (should this be done? is
it reasonable to do this? will the benefits of doing this outweigh the ill
effects? is this in the best interests of the company? )

Recommendation Reports

As their name suggests, recommendation reports advise on what
specific action should be taken by an organization. They are composed at the end of
a process of inquiry and notify the reader
that a certain course of action should be followed. The argument of a recommendation
report can be developed in numerous ways.

Proposals

Proposals include forms, letters, memos, and more formal
reports. In some companies and contexts (such as in the construction industry),
a "proposal" refers to a work contract with a customer. In this
sense, a proposal (which is often called a "bid") is a promise
that specific work will be executed by a certain time for a certain cost (and
such a promise is sometimes structured as a memo of understanding). "Proposal"
could also refer to a grant proposal, which also needs to meets strict informational criteria
(and may involve precise formatting—such as answering questions in specific boxes).
Grant proposals, however, do allow the writer to convey and explain his or her vision.
In other contexts, the term "proposal" is used in the same sense
as a recommendation report and thereby "proposes"
a course of action.

Grant proposals sent to foundations are often two-page
letters that pitch an idea and attach some financial information. These
proposals are informal but require the writer to match the group's mission
statement in the opening, present the problem that needs
to be addressed immediately in concrete terms, and convince the foundation
that the group is qualified to successfully address the problem.

Proposals can also take the form of the "long proposal,"
a formal document that proposes to complete a future project and that
requests organizational support. Often such proposals
are in response to an RFP (Request for Proposal): Companies or organizations
have jobs that need to be done and issue calls to interested bidders.

White
Papers

White papers provide background for decisions.
These reports can be internal and are often profoundly influenced by the particular
discipline of their context. They can present investigations of new methods or technologies
or report on new sales solutions. To offer an example of the internal white paper,
novice engineers are often asked to write a white paper for their division about some
aspect of new methods/technologies that they have been taught but the company
does not currently use. White papers can also meet the needs of external
audiences in responding to the frequently asked questions of customers. Used regularly in
information technology, these reports examine a technology problem,
investigate potential solutions, and highlight the solutions offered by
the company.

White papers differ from recommendation
reports and feasibility reports as they do not reach a decision
about what action a group should (or should not) take. Instead, they offer
backgrounds upon which decisions can be made, thus functioning somewhat like
term papers.

Marketing Plan

Companies use marketing plans to affirm and to
revise their current approaches to marketing products and services. These
marketing plans review the current strategy (or marketing principles) used
to market one or more of the company's products/services. Tactics
used to enact that marketing strategy are discussed in light of current market conditions.
The plan is used not only for budgeting reasons, but also as a key document in planning
the company's future.

The marketing analysis performed in preparation for the plan examines
the changes in the market from the perspective of the customer. It identifies potential customers and their purchase decisions. It asks the following questions:
what are the buying patterns? are new technologies available
to our customers? have there been changes in public perceptions? are the
target customers still the same? what are this year's demographics?
should we adjust the target market? The marketing analysis also looks at the selling
situation for the product, evaluating past plans and achievements and examining how changes
in the selling climate may affect future marketing tactics.

The resulting marketing plan is organized—usually as
a formal report—to explain the marketing strategy, to match the marketing
tactics to the target customers, to detail the marketing implementation,
and to provide a budget.

Marketing plans are also developed for new products, services,
and even start-up businesses.

Progress Reports

A progress report informs readers of the status of a project-in-progress.
Its primary informational mission is expressed in two ways:

Informing the reader of the status
of the project—is it proceeding as planned? is
it on schedule? have there been any significant changes in the scope or
organization of the project?

Presenting preliminary findings—
what initial data do you have to report? what tentative conclusions
can you offer?

A good progress report provides actual results. It doesn't
merely state "I've made lots of progress on this project." Instead,
it reports preliminary key findings. In short,
a progress report previews the final report to follow. Conventionally, a
progress report discusses two major topics: Work Completed (or Results to
Date) and Work Remaining.

Strategic Plans

A strategic plan is a comprehensive report analyzing the current
situation in a department or company. It recommends a plan to follow over some
future course of time. Such a report usually
focuses on the goals and objectives of an organization, reviews those goals
and objectives, and perhaps recommends a shift in direction or policy (or
a reorganization or shifting of resources).

Strategic plans are a favored document in companies that
adopt management by objectives approaches to evaluation. You probably won't
be asked to draft a strategic plan before you are a supervisor, but you
may be asked to comment on one or perform to the criteria stated in one.

Business Plan

A business plan is a formal report developed
by new businesses to raise start-up capital or by exisitng businesses that need to raise new
capital.

Most business plans are organized in the
following manner: The front matter
normally includes a cover letter, a non-disclosure statement, title page,
and table of contents. The executive summary pitches the plan (the business
concept, the current situation, key factors for success, and financial
situation) and sometimes stands by itself. The body of the report starts
with the corporate vision, moves to a market analysis (including identifying
the target customers), an analysis of the competition for that market,
and the marketing strategy your business will employ. Subsequent sections
develop the company approaches to operations, sales, and products.
It closes with a financial section that includes forecasts, assumptions,
balance sheets, profit/loss projections, and cash-flow projections. Appendices
include financial data, personnel credentials, and other relevant exhibits.

Design Reports

Design reports describe in detail the implementation
of a solution to an engineering problem and the testing methodology that has been
applied to draw conclusions about the effectiveness of a solution. If the design has some problems, the
report also voices those problems and considers alternatives and adjustments
to the design.

Design reports are often assigned to help complete
advanced engineering projects. These reports are developed as formal
reports with front material (cover letter/memo, title page, table of contents,
table of figures, abstract), introduction, background of the project,
circuit design, supporting analysis, data, discussion, summary, conclusions,
and appendices.

Periodic Reports

In almost every work setting, certain kinds of reports are generated periodically, either on a regular schedule, such as annual performance reviews, or when necessary, such as trip reports. Periodic reports often follow clear and fairly rigid formats and can range from very brief (most trip reports) to extensive and formal (corporate annual reports).

An annual report informs stockholders and others outside
the company about the company's achievements and financial performance in
a given year. Such a report usually serves both a promotional and an informative
purpose. The report provides basic financial information about the status
of an organization and addresses the question of a company's profitability
and degree of financial success—but it also attempts to instill some confidence
in the stockholders that their investment is a worthy one.

Performance Reports

A performance report evaluates individual or organizational
performance over a given period of time. When applied to employees, such
a report might be called a "personnel evaluation." Most companies
develop forms that help in developing a score, and many also have the supervisor
write a summary paragraph for each segment of the evaluation.

Activity
Reports

Employees produce activity reports to identify
what they have accomplished over a period of time (usually six months
or a year). These reports often help employers to assemble
the employee's performance evaluation. The activity report, therefore, allows
employees to craft their own portraits. If successful, they influence
how bosses view their employees' work.

Since the activity report is often a list,
it shares some of the challenges involved in writing a résumé: How does one use a list to
create a portrait?

Trip Reports

Trip reports are used to justify activities conducted away from
the work site. Sometimes it provides information about a meeting
or conference to others in the organization who did not attend. Other times
it reports on visits to customers. Further, if it is form based, the trip
report may also report expenses.

Business Plan

A business plan is a formal report developed
by new businesses to raise start-up capital or by exisitng businesses that need to raise new
capital.

Most business plans are organized in the
following manner: The front matter
normally includes a cover letter, a non-disclosure statement, title page,
and table of contents. The executive summary pitches the plan (the business
concept, the current situation, key factors for success, and financial
situation) and sometimes stands by itself. The body of the report starts
with the corporate vision, moves to a market analysis (including identifying
the target customers), an analysis of the competition for that market,
and the marketing strategy your business will employ. Subsequent sections
develop the company approaches to operations, sales, and products.
It closes with a financial section that includes forecasts, assumptions,
balance sheets, profit/loss projections, and cash-flow projections. Appendices
include financial data, personnel credentials, and other relevant exhibits.

Presentation
Reports

Presentation reports are an emerging category.
Using PowerPoint software and its bundled content
templates, some busy groups use the
slides and notes function to create a report that
is filed with a brief orienting memo.